Spinach and Arugula Salad

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This simple spinach arugula salad with bright flavors makes a versatile, customizable side for any meal, or an easy dinner when topped with sliced chicken breast.

I often find myself craving something fresh and green. The kind of meal that feels like it resets everything a little, possibly after a long week or busy nights, and maybe a couple of take-out nights. But I’ll be honest, there are plenty of days when I think I want a salad and then immediately decide assembling one sounds like a lot of work.

And it’s funny, because I’ve noticed salads always taste better when someone else makes them. I can use the same ingredients at home, but if it’s already tossed and handed to me, it somehow feels like a completely different (and honestly better) experience.

What I love about this salad, though, is that I actually get that same feeling without needing anyone else to make it. It’s quick, unfussy, and comes together so fast I don’t have time to overthink it. Which, in my kitchen, is a very big win.

My spinach and arugula salad is simple enough for a weekday, but it has that little café energy that makes it feel a bit more intentional than whatever I was planning five minutes earlier. The kind of thing I can throw together while real life is happening around me.

Why You’ll Love This Spinach Arugula Salad

With this salad comes a classic mix of textures and flavors. You’ve got peppery arugula and mild spinach, sweet dried cranberries, salty feta cheese, crunchy toasted almonds, all drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette. So healthy and fresh, but oh so good that you don’t feel like you are eating those obligatory greens to balance out your diet.

Another added bonus, this is a breeze to throw together and tastes like you put a lot more into it than you actually did! From start to “mmm” takes about 5 mins!

This salad makes a great side dish, but it also makes a great light meal in itself. I also really like to serve it as an accompaniment to a protein like grilled chicken or steak, with soup and sandwiches, with pasta, or as a side dish with BBQ or a holiday pork loin roast. It’s one of those rare salads that really can be served at any time of year.

It’s super customizable and you can mix up your add-ins with what you have on hand. Red onions, chopped scallions, cherry tomatoes, etc. Or skip the add-ins altogether for the simplest green salad.

Ingredient Notes

This salad is simple yet profound, in that each ingredient has real value, and none of them gets in the way of the rest. There is a balance of bright, luscious, crisp, and sweet with a zing.

Baby spinach + baby arugula

I like to use fresh spinach and arugula, and they complement each other so well. The soft, mild taste of the spinach is a great contrast to the bold, peppery flavor of the arugula. However you can use any greens you like. When I have a tub of spring mix or baby kale on hand, I will often use that.

Feta or Goat cheese

Cheese is optional and you can use whatever you prefer. Goat cheese adds a mild tang and a creaminesss that melds beautifully into the salad dressing. Crumbled feta is saltier and firmer. Parmesan cheese shavings are another great option for a more aged flavor.

Slivered almonds + dried cranberries

The almonds add some much-needed crunch to the salad as well as some nutty flavor. The dried cranberries add a little sweets to balance out the tartness of the dressing, cheese, and the bitter arugula greens.

Feel free to sub in any nuts or dried fruits you like. I often use walnuts, or make a large batch of the candied pecans from this strawberry goat cheese salad and sprinkle them on simple salads like this throughout the week. Pistachios, sunflower seeds, or pepitas are other great crunchy options.

Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice

I love to combine vinegar and lemon juice in my homemade dressings, it adds more depth of flavor than just using one or the other. I used white balsamic vinegar in this case, but regular balsamic works great too. Feel free to use your favorite vinegar in the dressing, whether that’s apple cider, red wine, or champagne vinegar.

I think this dressing is perfectly balanced as-is, but if you’d like it a little sweeter, feel free to add in a touch of maple syrup or honey.

Step-by-step Instructions

This recipe comes together so fast. It’s a perfect last minute side or dinner that is still fresh, perfectly balanced, and satisfying.

For the Salad

1. Place the spinach and arugula in a large bowl. Add the crumbled cheese, chopped almonds, and dried cranberries.

For the Dressing

1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined.

Toss it all together

1. Mix the dressing into the salad and toss to coat. You probably will not use all of the dressing, so start with a little and add to your liking!

A Few Helpful Tips

One of the best things about this salad is that you can easily substitute the spinach and arugula for whatever mixed greens are already hanging out in the fridge. Sure, I call this a “spinach and arugula salad,” but you could just as well call it a “mixed greens salad.” Spring mix, baby kale, all spinach, all arugula. Any of these makes for a super tasty salad.

This salad is truly my very favorite simple side salad, or light lunch, and I bet you’ll love it as much as I do!